Aquatic toy



H. D. MILLER AQUATIC TOY June 7, I938.

Filed Nov. 11, 1936 Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFILQE 2 Claims.

The invention relates to aquatic toys and more particularly to a toy which when placed in a receptacle of water will alternately submerge and rise to the surface at intervals.

A further object is to provide a toy of this character which has no working parts or mechanism therein and which is not controlled manually or otherwise from Without but which is controlled solely by gas generated within the toy by contact of water with a small amount of carbide or other chemical substance placed within the toy.

The invention comprises broadly a hollow receptacle, preferably weighted at its lower end so as to sit upright in the water, having a perforate container located within the hollow receptacle intermediate the top and bottom to receive a small amount of carbide or other substance which will generate gas upon contact with water, an opening being provided in the lower portion of the receptacle to permit water to be received into and discharged therefrom and a relatively small aperture being provided in the upper part of the receptacle to permit gas to escape therefrom.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawing and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the toy in the manner illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a toy submarine boat embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the boat shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3, a transverse sectional View of the boat shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4, a side elevation, partly in section, showing a toy whale or fish embodying the invention;

Fig. 5, an elevation, partly in section, showing a toy diver embodying the invention;

Fig. 6, a side elevation, partly in section, showing the invention as applied to a toy sea serpent; and

Fig. '7, a side elevation, partly in section, showing the invention applied to a toy turtle.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the invention is illustrated as applied to a toy submarine boat, the hull of which may be formed of any material or in any such manner that the same will normally float at the surface of the water. To accomplish this purpose, the hull may be formed of any suitable material in the form of a hollow air-tight structure or as illustrated in Figs. 2 and. 3, may be in the form of a block IU of wood, cork or other suitable material properly shaped and having sheets ll of celluloid or other suitable material attached to the sides of the wooden block in any usual and well known manner spaced apart at their rear ends as shown in the drawing and shaped to simulate a submarine boat.

The invention to which the present application pertains comprises a preferably substantially elongated upright receptacle 12 which may be formed of celluloid, glass, metal or other suitable material having a water inlet and discharge opening 13 in its lower portion preferably rearwardly directed and preferably provided with a short tubular projection I4 located midway between the depending sides of the side sheets I I.

The upper end of this receptacle is adapted to be normally closed as by a cap I5 which may be of sheet metal or other suitable material threaded or otherwise tightly fixed upon the upper end of the receptacle so as to provide an air and water-tightconnection. An aperture 16 may be formed in said cap relatively small as compared with the opening 13 in the lower portion of the receptacle. In order to carry out the design of a submarine boat,-the cap l5 may be surrounded by a sheet metal skirt l'l formed to resemble the conning tower of the submarine and provided with a miniature periscope 18.

A perforate or foraminous container 19 is cated within the receptacle IZ- intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof, and may be supported by the cap as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or may be fixed within the receptacle itself as will be later described.

This perforate container is adapted to receive a small piece of carbide or other chemical substance as indicated at 20 which will generate gas upon contact with water.

In order to carry out the effect, a small cannon as indicated at 2|, a mast 22, railing 22, flag 23 or similar apparatus may be provided. These parts of course have no effect upon the invention and are merely provided for the purpose of design.

For the purpose of properly balancing the toy in the water, an adjustable weight 24 may be provided, preferably in the form of a fiat metal block adapted to be frictionally engaged at any desired or necessary point within a slot 25 in the underside of the block Il'l. For the purpose of relieving air pressure on the underside of the boat so as to rapidly admit water to the lower end of be formed in the side sheets II at points below the wooden block 10.

In the operation of the toy shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the weight 24 is properly adjusted so that the boat will float upon an even keel. The cap I5 is then removed from the receptacle I2 and a small piece of carbide or other suitable substance, as indicated at 20, is placed within the perforate container I9 and the cap replaced upon the receptacle. The boat is then placed in the water and is so balanced and constructed that it will float partly submerged at the surface of the water.

As soon as the receptacle I21 fills with water to a sufficient height, the boat will automatically submerge and as the water level reaches the carbide in the perforate container [9, a gas will be generated above the water level within said receptacle. The gas pressure will force the water level downward, discharging the water through the aperture l3 and propelling the boat forward under water until suflicientwater is discharged to permit the boat to rise to the surface.

It has been found by experience that by properly proportioning the aperture l6 relative to the opening l3, the weight of the water above the submarine when submerged apparently prevents the gas from escaping through the aperture [6. A certain definite relationship between the size of the aperture I5 and the water inlet and discharge opening I3 is necessary in order that the device will function properly. If the aperture I6 is too large, water will enter the receptacle l2 through said aperture when the toy is submerged, preventing it from again rising to the surface while if the aperture is too small the gas within the receptacle will not be properly discharged when the toy is on the surface, the gas pressure thus preventing sufficient water entering the opening l3 to again submerge the toy.

As the boat rises to the surface, the carbide will quickly dry and the generation of gas will be discontinued. The water will then rise within the lower portion of the receptacle to sufficient height to again submerge the boat and the operation will be repeated until all of the carbide has been used up.

In Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive are shown a few of the many toys to which the invention may be applied. For instance, as shown in Fig. 4, the body of a whale or fish may be formed as shown at 21, with a vertical receptacle l2a, such as above described, located therein. As illustrated, the body of the whale may be formed of celluloid or any other suitable material, producing a hollow airtight body which will normally float in a partially submerged condition at the surface of the water, the underside of the body being suitably weighted.

A cap I5a is adapted to tightly fit the upper end of the receptacle l2a and provided with a small aperture [6a to permit escape of gas from the receptacle and a water inlet and discharge opening |3a is provided at the lower portion of the receptacle and communicates with a tubular projection Ma extending through the under rear portion of the body 21.

The perforate container l9a is located within the receptacle to receive carbide or the like and for the purpose of producing the effect of spouting when the whale comes to the surface, a tube 29 communicates with an aperture 39 in the side of the receptacle 12a, preferably at a point just below the perforate container 19a and extends through the top of the body 21.

This toy will operate in the same manner as the toy submarine above described and as it reaches the surface of the water, after being submerged, the gas generated by the wet carbide will rapidly escape through the tube 29, producing a jet of gas and water mixed which will spout out of the tube 29, giving the effect of a live whale spouting.

In Fig. 5 is shown the application of the invention to a toy diver, the body 3| being preferably formed of celluloid or the like and the soles of the feet 32 thereof being weighted as at 33 to hold the body in an upright position in the water. The receptacle l2bmay be located within the body and provided with the water inlet and discharge opening l3b communicating with a tube [4b extending out through the rear of the body 3|.

A perforate container I9!) is located within the receptacle [2b to contain the carbide and the cap |5b for the receptacle is adapted to fit tightly upon the upper end of the same and may be in the form of the divers helmet and provided with a gas escape aperture lSb.

A toy sea serpent is shown in Fig. 6, the body 34 being formed of any suitable material which will float partly submerged at the surface of the water and a plurality of upright receptacles i2c may be located at spaced intervals through the body, each having at its lower portion a water inlet and discharge opening I3c communicating with a tube I40 extending through the body in a rearward direction. A tight fitting cap is provided upon each of these receptacles and has the usual aperture I60 to prevent the gas to escape therefrom and a perforate container is located within each receptacle to contain carbide or the like.

The toy may be made in the form of a turtle as indicated in Fig.7,the hollow air-tight body of celluloid or the like being indicated generally at 35 and housing the upright receptacle I211, the lower opening 13d of which communicates with a tube 14d extending rearwardly through the lower portion of the body 35. The cap I50. tightly fitsthe upper end of the receptacle i211 and is provided with the small aperture "id. The perforate container l9d is provided within the receptacle to container the carbide.

The bodies of all of the toys shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6, and 7 may be of celluloid as illustrated and described, producing a hollow air-tight body or may be formed of any solid material such as wood, cork or the like which will normally float upon the surface of the water.

The operation of these toys is the same as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive with the addition of the tube 29 to produce the spouting effect in Fig. 4 and the fact that the several gas generating receptacles in Fig. 6 may operate at different times so that one portion of the elongated body of the serpent may be submerging as another portion is rising to the sur face, giving the effect of a serpent swimming through the water.

I claim:

1. A toy submarine boat including a body comprising a fiat block of material adapted to normally float in water and vertical walls of sheet material located around the edges of the block and extending downward therefrom, said walls being spaced apart at their rear ends and provided with openings in their forward portions, a receptacle for a gas generating substance extending through said block to points above and below the block and having a large water inlet and discharge opening at its lower portion, and a removable cap upon the container having a relatively small opening therein.

2. A toy submarine boat including a body comprising a flat block of material adapted to normally float in water and vertical walls of sheet material located around the edges of the block and extending downward therefrom, said walls being spaced apart at their rear ends and provided with openings in their forward portions,

a receptacle extended through said block to points above and below the block and having a large Water inlet and discharge opening at its lower portion, a removable cap upon the container having a relatively small opening therein, and a foraminous container connected to the cap and extending midway into the receptacle for supporting a gas generating substance.

HOMER D. MILLER. 

